


life begins on the other side of despair

by im_just_better_fictionally



Category: Nashville (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:28:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26061940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_just_better_fictionally/pseuds/im_just_better_fictionally
Summary: Deacon, Maddie and Daphne continue to rebuild after season 6. Set a week after Nashville's Next ends. Will be Ilse/Deacon with a lot of Ilse/Daphne friendship.
Relationships: Deacon Claybourne/Ilse de Witt
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t own Nashville or there would have been more of Ilse in season 6.

Feeling a huge sense of self-satisfaction, Ilse De Witt took a step back and cast a final critical eye over the manifestation of her hard work. Finally, she had managed to pack the last of her things into boxes and minus the furniture that came with the house, she was ready to move on Monday.

It had taken her the better part of the week if she saw one more that needed to be in a box, it was going to the bin. How had she had managed to unpack or collect this much in just 8 weeks? There is no doubt that she should have started this sooner but with preparing for the finale she kept putting it off. Now, God was punishing her, she was sure. Nashville's Next had given her a lovely house to stay in, free of cost, and the repayment was now the blood, sweat and tears it took to move back out. She had been hoping for an extra week but with all the talk and gossip surrounding Brad's resignation, they were eager to get her out and act like the television show had never happened.

Maybe it was a good thing that Daphne hadn't won, if the reward was going to be signing up to a record label that just days later would be entirely taken down by the resignation of the boss. Sure, they had tried to keep the true reason quiet, but Ilse knew that would never happen. Although a city, at heart, Nashville would always really be a small town.

She made her way into the kitchen and cracked open a beer in celebration of having finally gotten it done and in commiseration for her next few weeks. Overwhelmed with all that the coaching job entailed looking for a house had fallen to the very bottom of her to do list. Now with still nowhere to go on Monday, Ilse was going to be forced to stay in a hotel until she found somewhere.

As she took the first gulp of the cool liquid she was surprised by the sound of her doorbell. She didn't think that anyone outside of the record label even knew her address. She certainly wasn't dressed for company; she was in her typical 'cleaning' clothes. Her oldest pair of blue acid wash jeans and an old merch t-shirt. With a brief prayer that it wasn't one of his minions or worse Brad himself, Ilse headed for the front door.

She smiles, surprised when she's met with a nervous Daphne Conrad and loitering just behind, Deacon Claybourne. "Daphne, what do I owe for this pleasant surprise?"

"Oh, hi. Umm," Daphne is stuttering and nervous and it's so adorable Ilse wants to smile more. "I meant to come talk to you after the show last week, but I just got pulled into a thousand directions and then I couldn't find yo-"

"Yeah, I left pretty early. I was tired, and Brad kept trying to invite me for a drink, so I thought getting out was a good idea," she laughed. "But what can I do for you?"

"I wanted to thank you. I couldn't have done Nashville Next if I hadn't had you as my coach," Daphne said. A protest and a borderline lecture about believing in herself was on the tip of Ilse's tongue when Daphne stopped her by pulling a small box out of her jacket pocket. "Anyway, I got you something. It's only small but I thought you'd like it."

"You did not need to get me anything Daphne." She didn't want to sound too stern but she wanted Daphne to know that she didn't owe her anything but to always giver best efforts. And she'd done that every single week of the competition. "Hearing you sing each day was more than enough." Ilse meant it as well; it was rare on these talent shows to have someone like Daphne. Too often, pushed forward by overzealous parents, the kids on these shows did little more than perform high quality karaoke. Instead, every week Daphne had written and performed incredibly moving and powerful songs that had gripped Ilse from the very first piano notes. "How about you both come inside so I can open this? I'm pretty empty but I think I have some iced tea to offer?"

Just as Ilse was sure Daphne was about to accept the offer, Deacon interrupted them. "We can't actually. We have Maddie in the car and was just about to head for dinner."

"Why don't you come?" Daphne interjected. As Ilse looked to Deacon, she could tell that she wasn't the only one surprised by the offer. "It'll be nicer than whatever take away you choose. Plus think of poor Deacon. He could do with some company other than just me and Maddie again."

Ilse's stomach grumbles at the mere thought of food, and god, dinner with these people _would be nice_ but she doesn't want to impede on what's clearly a family dinner. "I don't want want to impose, honey."

"You are welcome to come with us Ilse," Deacon offered. "Unless, of course you already have plans."

"No," Ilse said, as she felt the beginning of a small twitch on her face. "I don't have any plans. You know what? Why not? Deacon isn't the only one who needs to get a social life."

"Great. I'll just give this to you at dinner then." Daphne said, a giddy grin plastered across her face as she pocketed the small box. "Ready to go?"

"Yes, yes," Ilsa said, quickly grabbing her denim jacket off the inside hook and shutting the front door behind her. As she followed the teenager to the car she fell into step beside Deacon.

"I hope that I'm not imposing," Ilse asked. It felt nice to be about to spend more time with Daphne and her father. The connection that she had felt with Deacon had been instant and although she knew that he was not an appropriate person for her to have feelings for, it would be nice to be able to talk. It wouldn't do their burgeoning friendship any favours if she was forcing herself on his family though.

"No, it'll be nice to have you along," Deacon assured her, playfully nudging her side with a smile. "Plus, she is sadly not wrong that I've been a bit of a recluse lately. A lot of spending time with the girls and a lot of the guitar."

Ilse laughed, finally allowing herself to just relax and enjoy the night. "That sounds like the dream."

By the time they caught up to the black SUV parked on the street, Daphne had already climbed into the front seat beside her sister and was scrolling through radio stations. Deacon wanted to tell Daphne to offer it to Isle but the blonde was already opening the back door.

"What took you so long?" Maddie complained. "I was about to-"

Maddie stopped for a second as she saw Daphne's coach slide into the backseat; what ever happened to just dropping off a present and then they would head to dinner? She tried to catch Daphne's eye but either her sister was avoiding it or just not paying attention. She started the engine and decided that she would just bring it up later.

"Oh please, we were like a few minutes," Daphne replied, turning up the radio when she heard the first notes of _Emmylou_. "Oh, I love this song."

Deacon rolled his eyes as both girls joined in with radio in perfect, unpracticed harmonies. It was so typical that they could just figure it out with each other; their way of communicating in music was unparalleled.

"Sorry, for the band up the front. It's always a sing along when Maddie and Daphne get in control of the radio." In his experience a quiet car ride with either Conrad sister was never the marker of anything good. Especially since their teenage years, where it was usually accompanied by hormones and their surly side.

"Don't be silly." If there was anything that Ilse didn't mind hearing it was the sound of those girls singing. "You should be proud. It's incredible listening to them together."

Ilse was enchanted by the melodic tones of the two girls. They were each so talented when they just sang on their own but together as a duet it was clear that they had each been raised with a guitar in their hands. Sometimes Ilse wished that one of her sibling shared her passion like that. It would have been a comfort to have someone by her side the way that the Conrad sisters do.

"I couldn't _be_ _prouder_ ," Deacon admitted before he raised his voice just enough, that Ilse knew it was meant just for the girls."The only thing that I would prefer more was if the girls up the front actually had a conversation with our dinner guest."

"Oh, _come on_ Dad." Daphne turned down the radio a notch as she turned around to the backseat. "We are all musicians here. _This is our love language_."

Deacon watched as Ilse laughed and he knew that he couldn't do more than just shake his head. If Rayna was here, she'd probably tell them watch it with that smile she always gave when they started to push the line. He was never very good at that though, and he supposed as long as Ilse was fine then there was nothing more for him to do than just shake his head. "So kind of you then. So _very_ noble."

"Well, I _was_ going to offer that we could take a request from you but with that attitude I'm not too sure," Daphne said as she poked her tongue out at him. "Ilse can pick though, she's alright."

"I'm honoured Daph but you can sing whatever you want. As long as some other time I hear another one _yours_."

As Deacon watch the two women interact, his stomach rolled by the way that Daphne preened at her obvious and easy affection. He'd known for a while now, ever since he'd first seen the two interact, that Daphne needed more women intimately in her life. Juliette had really taken Maddie under her wing and Deacon too often worried that Daphne was being left behind.

But Ilse had been so kind and supportive in the way she had guided Daphne during the show while pushing back at Brad. She had given space and room for the 14-year-old to blossom right in front of them. Relief washed over him when it seemed like she was keen to keep that going in at least some capacity.

"You've got a deal," Daphne said blushing and smiling as she went back to the front seat and joined her sister in a rendition of _Jolene_.

When he could tell that the girls were distracted, he turned to Ilse and gently caught her hand mouthing a thank you. She squeezed his hand and flashed him a broad smile before joining in with the girls.

* * *

It was only when Maddie pulled into a car park that Deacon took stock of exactly where they were.

"Oh, come on girls," he complained. "I thought we'd be going somewhere nice." He'd at least hoped for something a bit better than the arcade bar and grill that they now were parked out the front of.

"I leave on Monday too, Dad. You said I could choose," Maddie reminded him. "Daph and I are so close to beating our scores. We won't get a chance for weeks after this."

Deacon was all too aware of the fact that Maddie was leaving for two weeks to go on her own mini tour on Monday. It was almost at the top of his list for reasons that he was really considering dropping his own tour. And he knew that there was almost nothing more important than giving those two girls time to be not just sisters, but friends. However, he wasn't sold on the fact that this meant there was no other place that they could possibly have dinner.

"When we invited Ilse, I did not realise that this was the plan," Deacon said. It was meant more as an apology to the woman next to him, than the unconcerned teenagers who were already halfway out of the car, discussing the merit of onion rings over fries.

Ilse laughed and brushed him off. "No, no I don't mind. As long as I can get a burger then I'm a happy woman."

"Perfect," Daphne said, turning mid conversation from Maddie. "See Dad, you are out voted. This is a great place for dinner."

He followed them into the restaurant and just made them promise him that they wouldn't ditch right away.

"Chill out Deacon," Daphne said, rolling her eyes. " _I_ invited Ilse, remember?"

"Yes, yes," Deacon said, secretly enjoying the sass of the teenagers. Although sometimes they drove him round the bend with the rolled eyes and the endless sarcasm, he wouldn't change a single thing about them. How could he when they were the exact image and attitude of their mother at the same age? "How about Maddie and I go and get us some menus and some drinks?"

He took drink order and then he and Maddie were up and making their way over to the bar counter. it was only then that Daphne pulled the small box for Ilse from her pocket. "Here, while they do that, I'll give you this." Daphne slid the box across to her mentor.

Ilse opened the box and felt tears poke the corner of her eyes when she saw what was in it. Sitting on the red velvet laid a mini golden harmonica attached to a necklace chain with the words _Team Ilse for life_ inscribed on it.

"I _love_ it," she told the young girl, as a relieved smile spread across Daphne's face. "This is absolutely incredible."

"It works too," Daphne told her. "I mean it's tiny so its use is probably a bit limited, but you can play it."

"It just gets better and better," Ilse told her. "Help me put it on?"

The blonde turned from Daphne and pulled her blonde curls away from her neck so that the young teen could fasten the golden necklace around her neck. "Perfect," Ilse said as Daphne finished and the harmonica sat across her chest.

"I just wanted to find a way to thank you for helping me. There was really no way that I was going to be able to do that show without you," Daphne told her.

"I don't think that's true," Ilse disagreed. "I meant it when I said that you are strong and brave and talented enough to have done without me. But it was my absolute honour to help and I hope that we can be friends even though Nashville's Next is over."

Daphne, overcome with gratitude for her coach, just nodded her head as they were rejoined by her father and sister.

It didn't take long for the group of four to order and while Ilse and Deacon took their time with their food, Maddie and Daphne swallowed their burgers so quickly it seemed like they were in some sort of competition.

"Okay, we are going to play the Dance Steps game. We are so close to beating the highest score," Maddie said as she ate her last chip.

"Yeah, if we can just get the last bit of footwork down in _Spice Up Your Life_ then I think we have it in the bag," Daphne said downing the last of her root beer float. Both girls quickly got up from their seat and made their way over to the game leaving the two adults alone at the table.

"There are times when those girls seem so mature for their age, and then there are times like this when I am reminded that they are just 14 and newly 18," Deacon laughed.

"It's good that they still want to do these things together," Ilse told him. "A lot of siblings aren't like that."

Deacon knew that it was good that the girls were still friends and hoped that it wouldn't ever change. He knew that he would do whatever it took to stop them from following the same path that he'd gone down with Beverly.

"Are you excited for the tour?" Ilse asked him. "I'd love to see one of your shows."

"I'd love to invite you but I'm not so sure that I am going anymore,' he told her. "As you heard, Maddie is going to be away a bit and I just don't want Daphne on her own so much. She's struggled over the last year and I don't think that I could sleep not knowing if she was okay."

While it was a dream of his to go on a solo tour, his biggest priorities were his daughters and making sure they were both okay. He'd find another time to go on tour and if Scarlet was right and the opportunity no longer existed then he would just be happy playing his songs at The Bluebird.

"Daphne being okay is obviously the number one priority but if she keeps saying that she'll be okay maybe it's worth considering going," Ilse suggested. She loved Deacon's music and believed that the world deserved to hear it too.

"Before Nashville's Nex,t Daphne was diagnosed with depression," Deacon told Ilse. "It took months for her to go back to school after her Mum and even then she didn't do any work. She would suddenly be so angry and then there would be days where she wouldn't get out of bed and she wouldn't eat. The psychologist said it was probably triggered by her mother's death and I just struggle to think of leaving her. Even with Scarlett, if she backslides I need to be there."

Ilse reached out to hold his hand but before she could say anything to comfort him or provide advice for his dilemma, she saw the two teenagers return. As quickly as she moved her hand, as soon as Daphne and Maddie sat back down at the table, they could tell that they had interrupted something.

"Do you want us to go back to the games?" Daphne asked awkwardly, looking between the adults and then to her sister. "We beat the score but we pretend we didn't and do another lap."

"Don't be silly. I was just telling Ilse that I'm not sure that I'm going on tour anymore," Deacon told her. The teeangers each climbed into their seats; Daphne beside Ilse and Maddie across from her.

"Of course, you're going," Daphne said rolling her eyes and she perused the dessert section of the menu. "Even if this wasn't like an amazing opportunity you can't pull out days beforehand."

"Yeah, well I didn't know that Maddie was going to be gone when I told them that. I don't think you should be alone so much. I know Nashville's Next really helped but with it over, I can't risk that you backslide and."

Daphne's head snapped up and her eyes flashed. "Geez, _thanks Dad_. Is this what you've been talking about? Gossiping away about my shitty mental health."

"I wasn't tr-" Deacon tried.

"Anything else you want to tell Ilse about? You chat about my Dad being in prison too or was already covered? I'm sure there is more I can think of if you need some material."

"Daph, stop," Maddie told her quietly.

Ilse placed her hand on the young girl's arm. "It's okay Daph. It just came from a place of concern and it's just me." Daphne smiled as Ilse but didn't say anything.

"There is nothing _just_ about you," Daphne whispered, her eyes on the table. She took a deep breath and tried to let out the anger. Her psychologist had talked to her about this, about not letting the anger she'd felt since her mother's death swallow her up in moments that felt overwhelming.

Maddie could feel the change in her sister, and trying to diffuse the awkwardness turned to Ilse and started to ask her any question that she could. Nashville seemed like as good of a topic as anything else.

"I haven't been able to do much so far, I'll be honest." Ilse told her. "I used to live here when I was younger though so it's all a bit different but familiar too."

"How do you like where you're living?" Maddie asked.

"It was nice but I leave on Monday."

The answer caused both Deacon and Daphne to snap their heads up and look at the blonde.

"Just to somewhere else in Nashville. That house was paid for by the production team and Brad is hustling me out of there. Need to be gone by Monday."

"What a damn jerk," Deacon said as a familiar anger flashed through him.

"Well, I think he's gotten his comeuppance," Ilse said, smiling at Deacon. It was clear that she knew who exactly was behind the sudden ousting at the competing recording label and thankfully, she didn't seem overly upset about it.

"Where are you going to live now?" Daphne asked her coach and now hopefully friend.

"Urgh, a hotel," Ilse moaned. "I was so busy working and trying to get everything for the competition done that I didn't even think about what I was going to do after. Now, I have to be gone in 48 hours and at this rate I'll be going to a hotel."

"Surely you can find somewhere," Daphne said. Her mother had really hated hotels. Rayna had always complained that at any of the nice ones they never liked it when she played her guitar late at night. "Mum preferred the tour bus to living in hotels."

"No, because even if I could find a single place available, I really want to find somewhere that I can call home and I can't do that in a day," Ilse complained. She too was none too keen on the idea of staying in a hotel where her guitar hours would be limited. The guitar was her comfort, it was her _thing_. She didn't have a necklace passed down from a grandmother, or a lucky coin from her late Dad. She did however have the same guitar that she had used for years. She just wanted to be somewhere so that at 3am when she missed her home, her Holland, she could write her music and not get a $500 noise complaint. "On the bright side, I'm going to be spending tomorrow looking for a recording space, so the goal is to barely be there. I'll either be looking for a place or writing music."

"Well, feel free to come over to ours whenever," Daphne offered. "Mum converted the basement into a recording studio and with Dad and Maddie on tour it'll be not getting so much use."

"That would be lovely, Daphne," Ilse smiled. "I was hoping we could write together so maybe I could come over next week once I'm settled in a hotel?"

"You want to write with me?" Daphne asked her coach, surprised at the offer to write with an internationally award-winning musician.

"Unless someone else wrote _Memories Crash_ or _Without Warning_?" Ilse asked, teasing. "I wasn't lying when I said that you are incredibly talented, lieveling."

Deacon smiled as Daphne blushed and smiled and nodded her head eagerly. He was so pleased that his daughter had found someone that she could connect with on this level. It seemed as the older sister, Maddie had no shortage of mentors and people wanting to help Rayna Jaymes' daughter but so far no one had been that way with Daph.

"It's still early," Deacon noted. "We could get dessert to go and have Ilse come back now for a bit of a jam."

Both girls looked up at each other contemplating their father's suggestion. They both liked and respected Isle, albeit at different levels, but it was clear that for their dad there were different types of sparks flying and they were both happy to encourage it.

"Sounds like a great plan, Dad," Maddie said with a knowing smile, as she sucked up the last of her milkshake. She'd let her Dad pretend for now that this invitation was just for Daphne. "But for the record, no one says jam anymore. This isn't 1989."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sadly, I don’t own Nashville or we would have had a lot more Ilse.
> 
> Yesterday, I edited the first chapter because I wrote it when I was pretty sick. Plot wise it is the same but it is now longer and I think better so re read it if you want. Otherwise, here is the next installment for your entertainment. 
> 
> If there is anything you’d like to see in the story then feel free to review or PM me with comments.
> 
> Ciao

The sky was dark and the stars were dancing above the group of four when they each peeled out of the car. Not that the hour affected the bursting energy of the two young women who as Deacon unlocked the front door, pushed ahead of him.

“We’ll get the guitars,” Daphne called behind her, racing up the stairs with a laugh.

“Meet you on the couch,” Maddie added, following her sister and she too bounded up the stairs.

Where they had the energy to be running around, Deacon would never know. He had been the one to drive home with Ilse in the passenger seat beside him. However as they talked, easily filling any possible silence, Deacon had been all too aware of the whispering and giggling that was going on in the backseat.

Not that he was even willing to find out what it was about? He’d tried that once before when Deacon had been driving them to school and the pitying look that he received made him pretty convinced he had been the topic all along. There was nothing he wanted less right now, than to subject Ilse to that very fate, so with his hand on the small of her back, he led her over to the cream couch. 

“Thank you so much for inviting me over, Deacon.” After weeks of eating dinners either alone or with Brad and various others at work, this had been an almost perfect evening. “It's the first properly social thing I’ve done since arriving two months ago now.”

He was just about to turn that around on her how he should be the one saying thank you for everything that she had done for his family, when the banshees disguised as his daughters, cackled upstairs. “It’s so nice to hear them laugh like that. Even if it’s usually a sign of trouble.”

“They’re 14 and 18,” Ilse said with a shrug.“We’re all at least a bit of trouble at that age.”

“Oh thanks,” Deacon laughed. “That’s really comforting for me.” He was sure that Isle was going to say more when suddenly the girls burst his sight laughing and breathless. 

“I won,” Daphne said, as she struggled for her next breath.

Maddie laid down on the floor, with her hand on her head as she took a big gulp of air. “I let you win. I didn’t think you could handle the loss so soon after Nashville Next.”

“That’s such a low blow,” Daphne accused, pinching her sister's arm. Sure, once the next morning had come and her sister had woken her with their favourite treat of coffee with vanilla icecream it hadn’t seemed so bad but that didn’t mean that wound wasn’t still raw. “Take that fuckin’ back.”

“How about instead of being reminded to watch your language, instead we hear a song?” Deacon suggested, the last thing he needed right now was for them to break out into an argument. 

“How about Daphne sings one of hers?” Maddie suggested. 

“No thanks,” Daphne replied quickly and quietly. As encouraged as she felt that Ilse wanted to write with her, that didn’t mean that her stomach didn’t tie in knots at the thought of handing that part of herself over again. Being on Nashville Next hadn’t gotten her use to the exposing feeling of performing her own song.

“Come on,” Maddie suggested as she squeezed her sister's hand. “We  _ love _ your music.”

Deacon nodded in agreement, strumming the guitar in encouragement. But Daphne was adamant and she could feel her face flush with heat at the idea. 

Concern washed over Ilse at the clear discomfort that Daphne was feeling at the idea of performing an original, and she knew that she needed to steer the other two away. 

“I’d actually like to hear both of you?” Ilse asked. “I know you sing together but haven’t ever been privy to actually hearing it.”

Maddie had the perfect song in mind. She leant over to her sister and whispered it into her ear. Daphne nodded eagerly in agreement and leant over for the guitar. 

They’d been working on this song for a bit now but hadn’t really had the chance to sing it for anyone yet. Daphne took a breath and with the comfort of wood and metal in her hands began the song.

_ When you were here before _

_ Couldn’t look you in the eye _

_ You’re just like an angel _

_ Your skin makes me cry _

Ilse doubted at any point that she would get over the voice of Daphne Conrad. Every single time she heard her sing, everything stopped and she had to watch. During rehearsals there had been no ability to multitask while she practised on the stage. Ilse would simply watch the girl perform as many times as they felt she needed to until Daphne had complete control over the song. 

Maddie soon took over and Ilse knew right away why people had been trying to get the Conrad sisters to sign recording contracts at ridiculously young ages. She could hear the similarity with Daphne, their genetics coming out but also the slight difference of timbre. Both on their way to superstardom, even if perhaps in their own way. 

_ You float like a feather  _

_ In a beautiful world _

_ I wish I was special _

_ You’re so fucking special _

When the girls sang together for the chorus, the hairs on Ilse’ arms stood up and she could feel a shiver up her spine. Their voices weaved together perfectly entwined. There was electricity in the room and Ilse could do nothing more than close her eyes and let her body sink into the moment like a hot bath. 

_ But I’m a creep _

_ I’m a weirdo _

_ What the hell am I doing here? _

_ I don’t belong here _

The two sisters continued the song, holding Ilse by the heart and throat, until the final bars.

_ I don’t belong here _

_ I don’t belong here _

When they finished Ilse clapped until her hands were red raw and she almost fell off the couch. Deacon beside her, always marveling at the talent in his two girls, wolf whistled. 

“What about one of yours now?” Daphne suggested, once they had both quietened down. She handed over the guitar she’d just been playing with and smiled at the older woman. 

“I think after that I should just go home?” Ilse asked. “There is no way, I’ll be giving a performance like that.” She playfully wagged her finger at the younger of the two sisters. “I can’t believe you ever complained that I sang  _ Without Warning _ and then you go and sing that right before me.”

“Just keeping you on your toes, Ilse,” Daphne said.  Ilse could feel her smile from across the room and laughed as she strummed the guitar in her hands. There was no position in which she felt happier than sitting with a guitar in her hand surrounded by other musicians.

“Sure  _ I guess _ . If you really want one of mine,” Ilse teased. “But I do take other requests.”

“No, we want one of yours,” Maddie promised. “Deacon knows  _ Calm After The Storm _ because Daph and I were obsessed with it after Eurovision.”

Ilse nodded and looked over to Deacon who shrugged in agreement. Wasn’t knowing all these songs a paropart of the fatherhood job. “It’s a good song and you should have won.”

Ilse knew on an intellectual level, that he probably wasn’t lying when he said that he liked her music when she visited his office. He had never seemed that  _ blow smoke up you _ kind of guy guy, really. But, to think that he knew how to play one of her songs, made a smile pass her face. “Well, maybe people who come second are just a superior breed,” Ilse said with a wink towards Daphne. “Okay, Calm After The Storm it is but after that I want to hear more of you two.” She then strummed the guitar once, twice getting ready to play. 

Soon  _ Calm After The Storm _ became  _ Take Me Home, Country Roads _ which then turned into an hour of playing music that continued on for a second. But as they almost closed in on their third and Deacon strummed the final bars of  _ Better Man _ , Ilse watched the fluttering eyes of the teenagers' finally stay closed. 

“I should go,” Ilse whispered as they watched the girls sleep; her heart with them on the floor. “I can order a taxi.”

“Don’t be silly,” Deacon said. “How about you join me for a coffee, or maybe at this hour watch me have one and then I can drive you home if you want to go.”

“Tea would be nice if you have it?” Ilse asked with a warm smile. She was glad for the excuse to stay and spend time with just Deacon. 

“I can definitely do a tea,” Deacon promised. “It’s not too cold out and I have blankets so how about we drink them on the porch?”

Deacon watched as Ilse nodded and got up from the couch. As she reached up and stretched her limbs, his eyes were drawn to the sliver of stomach that peaked out from her ridden up shirt. He’s barely able to pull his eyes away and it unnerves him a bit. Sure, he’d been closer in the biblical sense with Jessie but there wasn't a feeling like this. With the idea of gathering himself he quickly excused himself and headed for the kitchen, fumbling to turn on the kettle when he got there. 

“You can head out to the porch if you want and I can bring it out. There is a little swing there and it has the blanket on it.”

As Deacon waited for the kettle to finish boiling he went over to check on his daughters. In the few minutes that Ilse and him had moved, Maddie had rolled over and curled herself around a starfished Daphne. This needed to be the image that he carried with him on tour.

As the kettle made itself known, he wandered back to the kitchen and poured out the two cups of tea. He added a little milk before picking them up and made his way across to the back door. Before he opened it, he took a moment to swallow back the knot in his throat at the idea of sitting so close to Ilse. 

“Sorry, I quickly checked on the girls while I waited,” Deacon explained as he handed Ilse her the steaming mug of tea. 

Ilse shook her head and smiled. “No apology necessary. I hope they’re still sleeping.”

“Yeah, fast asleep. Daphne barely slept a wink last week after she heard that song Heart for the first time,” Deacon laughed. “And I’m pretty sure in an act of worrying solidarity Maddie did the same.”

“It is so sweet to see how supportive of each other those girls are,” Ilse said smiling. Whenever she saw first hand the way that he was with his daughters, she couldn’t help but feel her skin warm up. “I was always running into Maddie either driving in Daph or coming to visit for interviews. It was very sweet to see.”

“It’s all their mother,” Deacon told her. “I’ve only really been around the last few years and other than a little bit of growing pains, they have always been like that.”

And for the most part Deacon knew that this was true. Not that, he still didn’t worry about it. He knew that the next few years when they moved away and had careers of their own that it would be a real test to their friendship. Especially, without the anchor of their mother. But, he knew that there was nothing he wouldn’t do to make sure that they stayed best friends.

Ilse let him have a moment, as she took another sip of her tea and let the warm liquid trickle down her throat, before sitting it down and facing Deacon more directly. She gently squeezed Deacon’s free hand with one of her own. “I doubt that you had nothing to do with it. I can’t imagine how hard the last year has been with losing Rayna, but I do know that it could have torn those girls apart. Instead they are strong, beautiful women who express themselves so clearly and perfectly through music.”

“They have both been so brave and so patient with me, as we try to find a new normal,” Deacon argued as his stomach did roll of guilt thinking back to how he’d been the first weeks after his wife’s death. He pushed it away, intent on enjoying his time with the woman sitting in front of him. “I worry about Daphne though. I think after seeing her so depressed, not caring about school, not speaking to anyone or getting out of bed, I’ll always worry about her.”

“I don’t have children but I imagine that’s what being a father is, Deacon,” Ilse told him. “Plus, I’ll be around if she ever wants company. If she wants to sing with someone or needs an ear or if she just wants to have lunch while she watches me record. I’ll be here. Whenever.”

Deacon was astonished at the kindness of the woman sitting beside him. She was all warmth and sweetness and if he wasn’t more careful it wasn’t just Daphne’s heart that she would capture. “I can’t ask all that of you but your kindness will never go unappreciated.”

“It is not a _ hardship _ Deacon. I meant it when I said that I wanted to write with her and work with her. She is beyond  _ just  _ talented, and I’d be honoured to keep traveling this path with her. I hope that I’m in her life for years to come,” Ilse promised. “Although this might have to start once I get my own life in order by finding and settling into a hotel.”

“Why don’t you just stay here?” The offer was out of Deacon’s mouth before he could fully comprehend what he had just said. “You know, while you look for your own place?”

“I can’t impose like that,” Ilse said, batting the idea away. Any place would be better than a hotel where she could only really play her guitar during specific hours and where she couldn’t really record anything. But she couldn’t and she wouldn’t impose on this man’s hospitality. “Thank you for the offer though.”

“It’s really no imposition,” Deacon laughed. “I’ll be gone and even if Scarlett ends up staying here full time while I’m gone that’s still only three out of six bedrooms being used.” Sometimes Deacon was overwhelmed by the size of this house, but he’d always known that Rayna wanted a place where she could build her family. Where the girls could bring her grandchildren for Christmas. His heart sank and the yet again cruel reminder of what life had taken from them. “We have plenty of space.  _ Too much space _ .” 

“Are you sure that this wouldn’t be totally uncomfortable for you or for the girls?” Ilse asked. The idea was alluring; to be able to live in an actual house until she found one of her own. But she needed to be sure that everyone would be on board. “That is the very, very last thing that I would ever want to do.”

“Look, I doubt it. Firstly, Daphne would love to have you around.” Deacon smiled at the way that Ilse blushed at the clear adoration that his youngest felt for her. “Secondly, this place is a bit like Grand Central Station. There are always people in and out of here so they are beyond used to that sort of thing.” 

“As long as you really think that they wouldn’t mind, I might take you up on that?” Ilse agreed, her eyes surveying the garden. She imagined spending her afternoon playing out here with Daphne and with Deacon when he had days off. “Just while I look for a place of my own. It’d be amazing to be somewhere that doesn’t have the strict rules of a hotel.”

“I promise that the girls will not mind,” Deacon promised. “You might have to tell Daphne to leave you alone or you’ll be writing with her around the clock.”

Ilse laughed at the prospect of the teenager ever bothering her. “I very much doubt that any 14 year old, even Daphne, is going to want to spend so much time with me but even if she did there is nothing I love more than writing and playing so hardly a chore.”

“She has really taken to you,” Deacon told her. 

“The feeling is very much mutual. It was incredible to see her grow. You’d never know that the Daphne Conrad who walked onto that audition stage and looked so unsure of herself was the same girl who sang Heart a few days ago,” Ilse told him, thinking back on her journey so far with the young teen. She loved to mentor young talent and out of all the people that she’d helped, Daphne was by far one of the most promising. “You can just tell that those girls have music in their blood. They are each so extraordinarily talented on their own but when they harmonise together it’s like everything else in the world stops.”

“Yeah, I think back to Daphne when she was just six or seven and… I’m just so humbled to be one of her Dads,” Deacon said, saying a silent prayer of thanks to all that his late wife had gifted him. If it wasn’t for Rayna then he wouldn’t have the family and the life that he was graced with today. There was nothing that he wished for more than to still be sharing that life with her. “Both of those girls are my life. It’s going to be hard to be without them so much while on tour.”

“Well, if it makes you feel better I’ll be around to help Daphne with whatever she needs and I’m happy to bring her to some of your concerts if that helps at all,” Ilse promised. She’d find almost any reason that she could to see Deacon Claybourne perform some of her favourite songs live. 

“That is very sweet but I do want to make one thing clear,” Deacon told her. “I am not offering for you to stay here to be Daphne’s chaperone or whatever. It is not your responsibility at all and my niece Scarlett has promised to be here.”

“Still,” Ilse pushed back. “If she needs something I want her to feel like she can ask me. I don’t want her waiting around for Scarlet or Maddie to come home when I’ll be there too.”

Deacon smiled at the woman in front of him. “That’s very kind of you,” he said. “How about I drop you home so you can actually get some sleep. Maybe, I can come over tomorrow and pick up some of your stuff?”

“That would be very helpful,” Ilse agreed. “How about in the afternoon? I need to do some cleaning and last minute stuff so that everything is fine for Monday.”

“Daph can help you with all that tomorrow if you want,” Deacon said, offering up his daughter without even thinking about asking her. “I could drop her off in the morning and pick up some boxes at the same time.”

“Well, run it past Daph in the morning but the company would be nice if she doesn’t already have plans with friends.”

“That girl never has plans with friends,” Deacon confessed. “Worryingly so. Either way, I will run it by her in the morning but I’m sure she’ll be happy to help.”

The two adults stood up from the porch swing and each made their way back into the lounge room where the teenagers were still soundly sleeping tangled with each other. As Ilse collected her purse and jacket from the couch that she’d been playing the guitar on, Deacon gently roused his youngest daughter.

“Whaaaaat?” Daphne moaned, rolling away from the hand on her. She let out a huff and moan, her eyes scrunched tight. “Go away.”

“I’m just driving Ilse home, okay,” he told her, gently pushing her arm trying to keep her awake and alert enough to understand him. “You and Maddie should head up to bed and I’ll check on you when I get back.”

“Okay, okay,” Daphne said, her eyes already beginning to close again. “Bye Ilse. It was nice to play with you.”

“Good night, my lieverd,” she told her. “Have a good sleep and I’ll see you soon.”

The adults got up and walked to the car together. The air was warm and the space between them although metres apart felt intimate. Deacon wasn’t totally sure what it was that he was feeling for the blonde singer but it was more than he’d felt since the loss of his late wife. 

He hoped that offering her his house, even without him in it, would not be a mistake. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed that. Hopefully in a week I will have another chapter because I have only just really started it, I have assignments due and it’s my birthday next week. But, I will do my best and it should be up by Monday, 7th at hopefully the latest. 
> 
> God, famous last words.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if there is interest in me continuing this. I have most of the second chapter written so that can be uploaded pretty soon but I just want to gauge actual interest. This will be Deacon/Ilse coupling eventually but with a lot of family stuff and Daphne/Ilse friendship. I haven’t totally planned it out yet. 
> 
> I’m also pretty sick (not covid sick but just regular sick) so I didn’t read over this really at all and therefore probably split infinitives and other grammar errors. If anyone wants to offer to beta this shit than you are more than welcome.


End file.
